Before the internet, there was snail mail. Before low-cost airlines, there were road trips, boat trips…
Today, flying is almost mandatory for a short trip, but the advent of low-cost airlines has changed the game completely.
Regardless of your budget, these tips can go a long way to making your trip start of finish with a better mood.
Seatguru
As all gurus, “Seat guru“ doesn’t present you with a decision, only guidances. But an informed individual is empowered to make better decisions! And, despite not having a wealth of information, this website and it’s apps are the best way to get all the info you might need when choosing your seat.
Only thing you need to know is that several companies use different layouts on the same aircraft but you can easily identify it when booking your seat. Once you identify yours, it’s very easy to understand all the info on the different seating options.
Beware, some airlines might make last minute changes to your plane seating layout!
Picking your seat
If picking your seat is an option, the first rule of thumb will be: do it as soon as you can!
Did I need to say that? Perhaps I didn’t, but more than once I ended up checking in late and stuck with a seat choice that was long than close to what I preferred.
Then, it’s really a matter of personal preferences.
We tend to choose window seats as we don’t usually get up during flights under 2 hours and prefer to watch a movie without interruptions.
Seats towards the back of longer planes might be worse during takeoff and landing, so we tend to choose seats towards the front of the plane. If you board though a passenger boarding bridge that will also be a plus.
Seating in the back can also be a plus on planes with boarding through stairs. Plus, usually people tend to choose seats towards the front of the plane, so you’ll end up with less people around you.
On long-haul flights, our habits change a bit, and we tend to choose front seats that give us more freedom to stand whenever we want, but allow us to sleep without too many disruptions.
The ultimate experience
Business class or any other upper class of ticket will come with its perks. While many of them come before the flight or during a layover, your flight experience can change significantly if you upgrade your flight.
While this is intimately related to your seating experience, it entails a lot more, so I wrote a separate post about it, which you can check here.
Let us know about your experiences and your own tips on the comment section below.